Author: Utah Courts

Code of Judicial Administration

CJA 04-0202.08. Fees for records, information, and services. Amend. Changes the fee to access a court document online from $2.50 to $.50. Effective October 7, 2015 under rule 2-205 of the Utah Code of Judicial Administration. Subject to change after the comment period.

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Code of Judicial Administration

CJA 04-0202.02. Records classification. Amend. Deletes maiden name and mother’s maiden name from the lists of private and safeguarded information. Classifies juvenile court mediation disposition notices as juvenile court social records. Exempts information required by Utah Code section 78A-6-304(4) from being classified as safeguarded.

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Bar Admissions Rules

The following proposals address changes to the Bar admissions rules. The proposed changes are primarily a reorganization of the current rules to make them easier for applicants to understand. Redundant sections of the rules were deleted and consolidated. There also are numerous changes proposed for consistency, form and clarification. Substantive changes include a change in the definition of “Active Practice” in Rule 14-701, the consolidation of all review procedures under Rule 14-715, and changes to timing of motions for admissions, the ceremony and taking of the oath of attorney in Rules 14-707 and 14-716.
USB 14-0701. Definitions. Amend.
USB 14-0703. Qualifications for admission of Student and Foreign Law School Applicants. Amend.
USB 14-0704. Qualifications for admission of Attorney Applicants. Amend.
USB 14-0705. Admission by motion. Amend.
USB 14-0706. Test accommodations. Amend.
USB 14-0707. Application; deadlines; withdrawals; postponements and fees. Amend.
USB 14-0708. Character and fitness. Amend.
USB 14-0709. Application denial. Amend.
USB 14-0710. Administration of the Bar Exam. Amend.
USB 14-0711. Grading and passing of the Bar Exam. Amend.
USB 14-0712. Qualificatons for admission based on UBE. Amend.
USB 14-0715. Bar Examination appeals. Amend.
USB 14-0716. License fees; enrollment fees; oath and admission. Amend.
USB 14-0717. Readmission after resignation or disbarment of Utah attorneys. Amend.
USB 14-0718. Licensing of Foreign Legal Consultants. Amend.
USB 14-0719. Qualifications for admission of House Counsel Applicants. Amend.

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Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Rules

The following proposals address changes to the MCLE rules. The most substantive proposed change allows lawyers to receive up to six hours of live continuing legal education credit for attending live, interactive webcasts that are broadcast from a Utah state courthouse to a Utah state courthouse or from the Law and Justice Center to a Utah state courthouse. The proposals also address the requirements for active Bar members living outside of Utah and practicing in other jurisdictions. The majority of the changes correct grammar and inconsistencies with other Bar rules, as well as provide clarification.
USB 14-0401. Purpose. Amend.
USB 14-0402. Definitions. Amend.
USB 14-0403. Establishment and Membership of Board. Amend.
USB 14-0404. Active status lawyers: MCLE, NLCLE and admission on motion requirements. Amend.
USB 14-0405. MCLE requirements for lawyers on inactive status. Amend.
USB 14-0406. MCLE requirements for lawyers on active military duty. Amend.
USB 14-0407. MCLE requirements for lawyers on active emeritus status. Amend.
USB 14-0408. Credit hour defined; application for approval. Amend.
USB 14-0409. Self-study categories of accredited MCLE defined. Amend.
USB 14-0410. Accreditation of MCLE; undue hardship and special accreditation. Amend.
USB 14-0411. Board accreditation of non-approved sponsor courses. Amend.
USB 14-0412. Presumptively approved sponsors; presumptive MCLE accreditation. Amend.
USB 14-0413. MCLE credit for qualified audio and video presentations; computer interactive telephonic programs; writing; lecturing; teaching; live attendance. Amend.
USB 14-0414. Certificate of compliance; filing, late, and reinstatement fees; suspension; reinstatement. Amend.
USB 14-0415. Failure to satisfy MCLE requirements; notice; appeal procedures; reinstatement; waivers and extensions; deferrals. Amend.
USB 14-0416. Lawyers on active status not practicing law; certificate of exemption. Amend.
USB 14-0417. Miscellaneous fees and expenses. Amend.

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Rules Governing the Utah State Bar

USB 14-0301. Standards of Professionalism and Civility. Amend. Advises lawyers to educate themselves about the risks of using social media.
USB 14-0503. Ethics and Discipline Committee. Amend. Provides for a third committee vice chair appointed by the Supreme Court. Allows a chair or vice chair of one screening panel to serve on another.
USB 14-0510. Prosecution and appeals. Amend. Describes the role of the screening panel as investigator and fact finder. Requires an OPC summary – if provided to a screening panel – to also be provided to the respondent and to include any additional violations. Allows the respondent to address any violations. Permits the screening panel to find additional violations during the hearing. Describes the process by which the respondent may address the additional violations. Requires a formal complaint to be filed if a screening panel finds probable cause for public discipline or if the misconduct is similar to a pending formal complaint. Allows evidence of prior discipline to be presented at the hearing. Allows for multiple cases to be presented to one screening panel. Allows the OPC 30 days to file a response to respondent’s exceptions. Allows the chair to extend the time to file an exception or response so the respondent or OPC can obtain a transcript of the hearing.
USB 14-0517. Additional rules of procedure. Amend. Clarifies that a screening panel chair screens complaints against OPC counsel, committee members and bar commissioners before the appointment of a special counsel.
USB 14-0533. Diversion. Amend. Requires that the OPC agree to diversion before the Diversion Committee can consider the respondent’s request for diversion.

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Rules of Juvenile Procedure

URJP 058. Victim rights. Amend. Requires the filing party or individual to redact all safeguarded victim information prior to filing a document for review by the judge and to certify that the information has been redacted. Makes an exception for information required by law in child welfare proceedings.

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Rules of Appellate Procedure

URAP 021. Filings and service. Amend. Provides that if a filing including an addendum contains non-public information, the filer must also file a redacted version of the filing.
URAP 040. Attorney’s or party’s certificate; sanctions and discipline. Amend. Provides that a person may sign a document using any form recognized by law as binding. Provides that by signing a document, a person makes certain representations to the court including that a filing made under rule 21(g) does not contain non-public information.

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Code of Judicial Administration

CJA 04-0202.02. Records classification. Amend. Classifies appellate filings, including briefs, as public. Classifies records maintained and prepared by juvenile probation, except for those filed with the court, as protected.
CJA 04-0202.03. Records access. Amend. Provides that a person given access to a record in order for juvenile probation to fulfill a probation responsibility may access a safeguarded record.
CJA 04-0202.04. Request to access a record associated with a case; request to classify a record associated with a case. Amend. Provides that a party with an interest in a case may move or petition a court with jurisdiction or a court that no longer has jurisdiction to reclassify a record or to have information redacted from the record. Adds all possible classifications. Provides that the relevant rules of procedure apply to such motions or petitions. Gives the appellate clerk responsibility for protecting sealed briefs and removing information ordered to be redacted. Provides that a court order is only binding on the court, the parties to the petition, and the state law library, unless otherwise ordered.
CJA 04-0202.09. Miscellaneous. Amend. Provides that a party may move, or a non-party interested in a record may petition, to classify a record as private, protected, sealed, safeguarded, juvenile court legal, or juvenile court social, or to redact non-public information from a public record.
CJA 04-0205. Security of court records. Amend. Provides that an appellate clerk is responsible for expunging records upon an order of expungment, but that a brief will be public unless it is otherwise classified through an order on a motion or petition.
CJA 04-0901. Mandatory electronic filing in juvenile court. New. Requires that pleadings and other papers filed in existing juvenile court cases on or after December 1, 2015 shall be filed electronically in C.A.R.E. Requires that pleadings and other papers filed to initiate juvenile court cases on or after August 1, 2016 shall be filed electronically in C.A.R.E.

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Rules of Civil Procedure

URCP 055. Default. Amend. Requires that the plaintiff provide a verfiied complaint or affidavit setting forth necessary facts to establish the amount of the claim, after deducting credits, and verifies that the amount is warranted by information in the plaintiff’s possession. Effective July 8, 2015 under rule 11-105 of the Utah Code of Judicial Administration. Subject to change after the comment period.

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Remote Hearings Rules

The following rules provide that court business and hearings may be conducted remotely by contemporaneous transmission from a different location, as long as certain standards are met.
CJA 03-0302. Clerk of the Court. Amend.
CJA 04-0106. Electronic conferencing. Amend.
CJA 09-0105. Justice Court hours. Amend.
URCP 043. Evidence. Amend.
URCrP 017.5 Hearings with contemporaneous transmission from a different location. New.
URJP 029B. Hearings with contemporaneous transmission from a different location. New.
URJP 037B. Hearings with contemporaneous transmission from a different location. New.

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